BIRMINGHAM, MI—Former General Motors communications chief Steven Harris has been named chief communications officer for Clear!Blue, a marketing communications and events company with offices in Detroit and Chicago. In addition, Harris has been elected to Clear!Blue’s board of advisors.

Harris, who will focus primarily on non-automotive activities, will be engaged in senior level communication strategy and counsel, helping to broaden the company’s client base, keeping the organization abreast of trends and developments in the communications industry and further enhancing its existing strong client orientation.

“This is an extremely important appointment for Clear!Blue,” says CEO Todd Smith. “There probably is not a single public relations professional in the last 25 years who has had as significant an impact on the auto industry as Steve Harris. But he is not just a ‘car guy.’ Steve has experience and interests that transcend the auto industry and touch the entire communications discipline.”

Harris began his communications career at General Motors in 1967 and held several positions, including regional public relations posts, before joining American Motors in 1979 as director of product public relations. Harris became Chrysler’s director of corporate public relations in November 1987, vice president of communications in January 1998, and senior vice president of communications for DaimlerChrysler in November 1998 following the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corporation.

He returned to General Motors as vice president of communications in February 1999 and announced his retirement late last year.

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